Netanyahu Had This to Say About U.S. Air Strikes Against Syria

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the the United States, Britain, and France for its air strikes in Syria over the weekend.

Netanyahu began his weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday, addressing the strikes and confirming that he spoke to British Prime Minister Theresa May following events.

“Israel fully supports President Trump’s decision to act against the use of chemical weapons in Syria,” Netanyahu said. “Israel welcomes the participation of British Prime Minister Theresa May and French President Emanuel Macron in this action. I spoke with British Prime Minister Theresa May last night and I told her that the important international message of the attack is zero tolerance for the use of non-conventional weapons.”

Netanyahu added that “this policy needs to also be expressed in preventing terrorist states and groups from having nuclear abilities. I reiterated that the main element that is subverting the Middle East more than any other is Iran, and that President Assad must understand that when he allows Iran and its proxies to establish a military presence in Syria, he is endangering both Syria and the stability of the entire region.”

The prime minister first addressed the strikes on Saturday, referring to Israel’s support for President Donald Trump’s strikes in Syria last year.

“A year ago, I declared Israel’s full support for President Trump’s decision to take a stand against the use and spread of chemical weapons. President Trump’s resolve and Israel’s support remain unchanged. Early this morning, under American leadership, the United States, France and the United Kingdom demonstrated that their commitment is not limited to proclamations of principle.”

Addressing Syrian Bashar Hafez al-Assad’s crimes and human rights abuses on his own people, Netanyahu said that it “should be clear to President Assad that his reckless efforts to acquire and use weapons of mass destruction, his wanton disregard for international law and his provision of a forward base for Iran and its proxies endanger Syria.”

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei accused the U.S., the U.K., and France of violating international law, claiming the attacks would “not gain benefits.” He took to Twitter: “I clearly declare that the president of the United States, the president of France and the British prime minister are criminals. They will not benefit in the same way they went to Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan in the past years and committed such crimes and did not gain any benefits.”

Amir Tsarfati, a Jewish Christian, is the founder and president of Behold Israel, a news site to correct the scarcity in trustworthy reportage on issues and events impacting Israel, and to resolve the uncertainty about who or what to believe.